ATHLETICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 323, 24 February 1910, Page 4

ATHLETICS.

SPORTS FOR EASTER MONDAY. There was not a very large attendance -at the meeting convened for last night to consider the question of holding a .sports meeting at New Plymouth on .Easter Monday. His Worship the Mayor (Mr. G. TiseVi .presided, and explained the objects of the meeting. He said he would be veu' disappointed if in a town like New Plymouth the annual sports meeting allowed to fall through owing to lack of public interest. But it was unreasonable to expect that the few who year after year promoted thfese gatherings for the public amusement would continue to do so without more liberal support. One of the finest sports grounds in the Dominion was available. The present time was opportune to decide on holding sports on Easter Monday >.O that townspeople would have somewhere to spend the holiday, and likeI wise country visitors, who, he was informed, were always the best patrons I of local sports meetings. 1 Mr. McLeod explained that the Cai?- | donian Society had endeavored for three years to make a success of th';ir I sports by putting on attractive piogrammes, but while there was no dearth of competitors, the attendance of the public, with one notable exe<-p- ---• tion, had not been up to expectations. .The trouble was partly due to the "set that the Society had to depend almost entirely on the gate, and it scarcely ever realised enough to pav the prizemoney, to say nothing of the incidental expenses. If the Society had from 150 to 200 financial members everything ..would be plain sailing. He considered 4 also that there was a good chance of .holding a financially successful meet'ng this year owing to the formation of (Amateur clubs in Taranaki. The va'ue .of the prizes for amateur races n-;s strictly limited, and the club, even if .it gave the maximum prizes for half-a-,dozen events, would still lie £2O to better off than were the whole of ihc events run under Athletic Union cash conditions. With sood amateur competitions, a good cash handicap of three distances, and three or four cycling events, a first-class programme could re provided at reasonable cost.

After 6ome discussion respecting the of the Caledonian Soci'cy, which has liabilities amounting to abo-it £B, it was decided that the Caledonian .jSociety be continued, and that a sports be held on Easter Monday. March 2Sth. Mr. J. Clarke suggested that a committee be set up tn draft a programme, and another meeting be held to elect officials, and "shake things up." Messrs J. A. Clarke and Tuthill supported the proposal, and it was decided to hold the meeting on Tuesday next. March Ist. Mr. Tisch suggested that as Easter Monday fell on the anniversary of the battle of Waireka this year, some special events for the veterans might he included in the programme, and personally he would donate prizes for such an event. A committee consisting of Messrs J. Stohr, J. H. Hobbs. J.'Clarke and J. McLeod was appointed to draw up fit programme. It was decided to fix the subscription at 2s 6d per member, and to make sn active canvass for members. Sub«,e,quently special prizes were offered follows:—Mr. J. A. Clarke, value hallguinea; Mr J. Averv, value one suinei; and Role Bros., half a sheep for the veterans' race.

Messrs .M. Ward, • TJ. Burdekin. and IT. Kerr, the Taranaki representatives at the New Zealand amateur meeting at Auckland Wt bv last night's boat for Auckland. They were accompanied bv the >v-il-.known local sport and" trainer. Mr. vr. Dockrill.